So Be It
by Kihin Ranno
Summary: -COMPLETE- The first day after Sirius Black's escape from Azkaban as witnessed by a highly unlikely source.


So Be It  
Fifteen Minute Ficlet Challenge  
1/1  
by Kihin Ranno  
PG

His first instinct was to run. After all, it wasn't every day his caretakers just left the door wide open. They were always worried about him getting out.  
  
"Oh don't forget to shut the door! We don't want Scout to get out."  
  
"We can't let the cat out. He might get run over."  
  
"Daddy! Daddy! The door! We can't let Scout come with us!"  
  
So naturally he was quite afraid that his humans would quickly realize their mistake and promptly turn right back around and shut the door on his adorable little nose. Yet, somehow he managed to slow himself down and walk out of the building, tail and nose held high.  
  
God how he hated being in that house with that AWFUL name!  
  
Once he felt safe, he acted upon his instincts and ran. He ducked in between the legs of the humans, hoping they didn't notice the cat zipping between them. He realized that he caused more than one person to trip over themselves in order to avoid them, but as a cat, he didn't really care about them. They hadn't kicked him. Therefore, it did not concern him.  
  
All he was worrying about was that he was finally free! After being locked up for twelve years with stupid little children pulling his tail all the time. After being called that awful name. After all of his escape plans being thwarted by the sound of an opening can of kitty food or the smell of turkey, he was finally rid of them all.  
  
And he was damn proud of himself for it too.  
  
Once he had decided that he had run long enough, not that he was tired mind you. He just no longer cared to run, he found an alley. And just as proudly as he had walked out of his house, he walked into the alley, not knowing that this was just asking for trouble.  
  
Oddly enough, he lucked out. The only other person... or possibly thing in the alley was a man. He was rail thin and paler than the white on the cat's pristine white coat. His eyes were light blue, looking almost white by the cobwebs that had grown over them over the years. His black hair went down to his waist and was a mess of tangles and grease. He looked frightened. He looked beyond frightened...  
  
Now cats are not animals who take pity on any creature, especially humans. But perhaps the cat was in a particularly good mood that day after escaping from his home. So he soon found himself rubbing up against the stranger's leg, purring in order to offer some kind of comfort. Besides, maybe he had some food or something.  
  
So naturally he was quite insulted when the stranger jerked away, looking at him wildly.  
  
The cat was about to stalk off in a huff, when suddenly the man (the very dirty and smelly man) grabbed him, holding onto him. The cat was most definitely not pleased by this turn of events, but he still had a few shreds of generosity left to offer the man, so he did not immediately pull away. Besides, while the man held on tight, the cat could breathe. Not to mention, he didn't really feel like moving anyway.  
  
The cat did not expect to have to listen to him.  
  
"I'm sorry..." the man said, his voice hoarse from either lack of use or overuse... Maybe both in some kind of weird way. "I don't really like cats."  
  
The cat gave an indignant meow. Humans thought that regular cats couldn't understand, but they most definitely could. And this one was highly insulted.  
  
The man didn't look in the least bit apologetic, which only served to irritate the cat further. He just kept on talking. "And you scared me besides. I... Haven't really been around people much for the past... God, is it twelve years?"  
  
Oh, a fellow imprisoned one. Now this the cat could relate to.  
  
The man sighed, his shoulders quaking for a minute. "God it's been so long since..." He sighed, looking away. "You are a cat right?"  
  
The cat rolled its eyes at the very astute observation of this stranger.  
  
"Just a cat... A cat can't tell my secrets... You can't tell of all the things I've done..." He took a deep breath to try and steady himself. "And the many things I've done are so terrible... I killed my friend... I put my Godson in danger... I left my Remus all alone all these years..."  
  
The cat made a sound that was akin to "cry me a river."  
  
"What have I done? I ask myself that all of the time... What was I thinking when I trusted Peter? When I didn't trust Remus with James's life when I would have trusted him with my own. When I thought he was a traitor just because of what he was, not who he was... When I let them die. When I let Harry go to Hagrid... I should have kept him. Dumbledore be damned. I should have gone to Remus and taken both of them away. Saved them both and myself from all of this... I should have done right by James after what I did, and instead I just..."  
  
Here he had to stop, needing a minute.  
  
The cat didn't really notice. The cat had stopped paying attention awhile ago.  
  
"And now Harry's in danger again... And it's my fault again..." He shook his head. "Well, not again. I'm going to do right by James this time. By Lily. And by all his other victims. If I have to give up everything... I'll save Harry."  
  
The cat briefly wondered if this human understood the concept of everything, and then realized he was supposed to be aloof and indifferent. He made a note to himself that he should forget that such a thought had crossed his mind.  
  
The man took a deep breath. "I was in Azkaban for over a decade... Harry was alone for over a decade... Remus... Remus thought I..." He paused again, choking slightly. "I can't go to Remus. I can't worry about him and Harry. Let me die with Remus thinking I betrayed him. It would be easier. If I don't survive this... Harry will. Remus will. And they will live on thinking I was with Voldemort... And I'll die..."  
  
The cat was about to make some type of noise (one that he hoped the man would recognize as "I'm hungry! Feed me!"), when the man dropped him abruptly, catching the cat off guard. The cat quite surprisingly landed on his butt, as cats were supposed to land on their feet as the man began to walk away. He wrapped a tattered blanket around himself, and looking back at the cat who was hurriedly picking himself up off the ground, attempting to look dignified. The dark man shrugged, his eyes brightening for just a minute.  
  
"Well, so be it."  
  
Then he walked off, and out of the cat's life forever...  
  
That was until the cat's family came by the alley an hour later and saw the cat. They immediately called him by that deplorable nickname, whisking him back home... That night, they were all watching the news, including the cat (who was glowering on the arm chair) and heard about an escaped convict by the name of Sirius Black...  
  
The cat promptly turned into a large fuzzball and ran out of the room...  
  
Dying of a kitty coronary.  
  
All the family had to say was, "So be it."  
  
They had really wanted a dog anyway.


End file.
